一枚小硬殼果的存有意義 Julian of Norwich：Hazel Nut

Julian of Norwich在一枚榛果裡，看到上帝所有的創造共有的存有意義：

1. 上帝創造它（它的生命由上帝來）。
2. 上帝愛它（它裡面有上帝的愛）。
3. 上帝照顧它（它將不斷變化，直到與它的創造者合一）。
一個小小的硬殼果子，裡面充滿上帝對這個世界的良善與看顧之愛。

她這樣寫道：

And in this he showed me a little thing, the quantity of a hazel nut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed. And it was as round as any ball. I looked upon it with the eye of my understanding, and thought, 'What may this be?'

And it was answered generally thus, 'It is all that is made.'

I marveled how it might last, for I thought it might suddenly have fallen to nothing for littleness. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and ever shall, for God loves it. And so have all things their beginning by the love of God.

In this little thing I saw three properties.

The first is that God made it.

The second that God loves it.

And the third, that God keeps it.

But what is this to me? Truly, the Creator, the Keeper, the Lover. For until I am substantially “oned” to him, I may never have full rest nor true bliss. That is to say, until I be so fastened to him that there is nothing that is made between my God and me.

This little thing which is created seemed to me as if it could have fallen into nothing because of its littleness. We need to have knowledge of this, so that we may delight in despising as nothing everything created, so as to love and have uncreated God.

For this is the reason why our hearts and souls are not in perfect ease, because here we seek rest in this thing which is so little, in which there is no rest, and we do not know our God who is almighty, all wise and all good, for he is true rest.

God wishes to be known, and it pleases him that we should rest in him; for everything which is beneath him is not sufficient for us. And this is the reason why no soul is at rest until it has despised as nothing all things which are created.

When it by its will has become nothing for love, to have him who is everything, then is it able to receive spiritual rest.